Michael Cheika Under Pressure To Keep Wallabies Job

After a poor run of form, Wallabies coach Cheika is under pressure to keep his job.

Michael Cheika Under Pressure To Keep Wallabies Job

“If Rugby Australia is serious about a productive 2019 Rugby World Cup campaign as well as regaining the faith of thousands of disenchanted Wallabies supporters, they must get rid of Cheika, and all of his backup coaching and managerial staff now. Not at the end of the year, or after the World Cup. Right now.”

These striking words are from ESPN Rugby writer Greg Growden who clearly has had enough of the poor run of form shown by the Wallabies under Michael Cheika.

It appears as if many green and gold fans also feel the same way. After Australia’s loss against the All Blacks last week, many fans stayed after the game to let their criticisms be known to Cheika.

The calls for his sacking have been growing louder and more confident, which has lead to responses from both players and Cheika himself.

“I think it’s fair for people to have a negative response. We got beat, they wanted us to win. There’s nothing wrong with that,” Cheika said to The Canberra Times. “When my team loses, I want them to win, I’m negative as well.

“I’ve always had a plan about what I want to do. Sometimes you get bumps that take you a different course, you lose players, different things happen along the way and you’ve got to be able to adjust to that.

“For me, I feel no matter who is throwing rocks, I’m in a good place because I’m always the hardest critic on myself.”

Defence: Tatau Polota-Nau has backed Michael Cheika (Getty Images)

Hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau was quick to defend the head coach on rugby.com.au.

He said: “He’s definitely the best man for the job,”

“At the end of the day we’re the guys out there on the field and only we can control what the plays are at hand.

“If anything he is also a great motivator and gets us upbeat about every single session that we take.”

It seems unlikely that Cheika will lose his job a year out from the World Cup but what cannot be ignored is Cheika’s record as Wallabies coach, which is pretty poor.

In 49 tests he has won 25 of them, and drawn two which works out as a winning ratio of 51%. Against the All Blacks they have won only twice in ten matches, they have one in seven against England, one in five against Ireland and Scotland have won twice in four Tests against them.

To make matters worse, Cheika has only won once in his last six Tests.